Stud proves a winner

By Sally Rae

Created 26/11/12

[1]

Fox Glacier farmer Wayne Williams and his daughter Laura
with their cattle at the Haast cattle sale. Photo by
Stephen Jaquiery.

Stud breeding is in Wayne Williams' blood.

Mr Williams and his wife Maggie own Glacier Horned Herefords
at Fox Glacier, continuing a tradition that started back in
the 1940s when his grandfather established a Hereford stud,
then named Bluedale stud.

After he moved to Canterbury and took some of the cattle with
him, Mr Williams' father took over the farm and the stud name
was changed to Glacier Horned Herefords.

Earlier this year, the Williamses took two bulls to the
national beef expo in Feilding - their first trip to the
event. It was also believed to be the first time bulls from
south Westland had been entered.

Glacier Top 367 won the prestigious PGG Wrightson champion of
champions title, later selling for $14,000.

The Williams family has between about 80 and 90 stud cows,
along with commercial cattle. It also runs about 400 ewes,
and about 230 hinds are mated.

There were not a lot of horned Herefords around these days
but Mr Williams believed they had a better frame, better
constitution and were a better all-round animal.

He was hoping to head back to next year's beef expo but would
"just see how they [the bulls] shape up" in the meantime.

The Williamses won supreme champion Hereford at last year's
Canterbury A and P Show in Christchurch. They had another
good show this year, winning reserve champion junior bull and
later were placed third in the all-breeds from about 30
entries.

Last week, Mr Williams was again offering cattle for sale,
this time at the annual Haast cattle sale.

He had 35 cattle entered and topped the sale, with one pen
selling for $1190 and the other for $1140.

He had been bringing cattle to the Haast sale for a few years
and, as far as prices, he "seemed to get right up there most
times", he said.

From a stud-breeding perspective, it was also an opportunity
to put his stock in front of others. He sold bulls throughout
the South Island and also to the North Island.

The top six or eight pens of cattle at Haast were on a par
with last year, price-wise, but the balance of the yarding
dropped a little, Peter Millar, of PGG Wrightson, said.

There was a full clearance, with cattle sold to Canterbury,
Southland, Otago and up the West Coast.

Most of the vendors were happy and, generally, prices were
good, he said.